Fleet of 200 e-taxis set to hit Hong Kong roads by March after industry signs deal with top vehicle maker BYD

A 200-strong fleet of electric taxis is set to hit Hong Kong roads by March after an industry body signed a deal with the world’s biggest e-vehicle maker as part of a government-backed drive to introduce 3,000 such cabs in less than four years.

Hong Kong Tele-call Taxi Association chairman Wong Yu-ting, who signed the deal with Shenzhen-based BYD on Wednesday, said the manufacturer was chosen because of the car model’s suitability for Hong Kong and the company’s more than a decade of experience in producing cabs.

“We’ll also consider other brands,” he said. “It will depend on the suitability and price. We’re looking to have 3,000 or more electric taxis, the best case scenario will be having multiple makers.”

The taxis made by BYD stood out because of their size, with their boots able to fit four large suitcases and two small ones – a capacity previously unheard of in Hong Kong, Wong added.

The city only has five electric-powered taxis, discounting hybrid models, as of April this year. The figure represents less than 1 per cent of Hong Kong’s cab fleets.

Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu in October pledged to bring in 3,000 EV cabs before the end of 2027 as part of his annual policy address.

Lawmaker Frankie Yick Chi-ming, who represents the transport sector, hailed the deal as an industry milestone and said it was an opportune time for taxis to go electric.

“Over 3,000 of the 18,163 taxis in Hong Kong are now more than 10 years old,” he said. “We could encourage these cab drivers to make the switch.”

The legislator also urged the government to offer one-off subsidies to promote the switch to electric, echoing a past drive to convince cabbies to change from diesel-powered cars to those running on liquefied petroleum gas.

Industry leader Wong called on authorities to establish a cross-department panel to help speed up the installation of charging stations, arguing a lack of such facilities remained the main hurdle for the switch to electric.

He also slammed the government for a lacklustre promotion of electric vehicles, adding that he had initially expected Hong Kong to field 1,000 such cabs by this year.

“In June last year, they said they would set up three taxi-only charging stations?” Wong said. “Where are they now?”

The government earlier pledged to become carbon neutral by 2050, with the drive to include phasing out petrol car purchases by 2035.